LOS ANGELES, Butuan City – Twenty representatives from various local agriculture and veterinary offices joined the Provincial Consultation Workshop for Agriculture and Fishery Extension Needs Target Setting of Fiscal Year 2023 for Surigao del Sur. This took place on September 30, 2021 via Zoom application.

The main objective of the meeting was to harmonize Agriculture and Fishery Extension (AFE) needs among extension service providers. Specifically, the activity aimed to inform participants on the policy directions and priority programs in anticipation to the implementation of the Mandanas Ruling and Department of Agriculture’s devolution transition plan, identify possible intervention among AFE partners, identify issues and concerns including recommendations from the different partners, and identify need-based training programs ATI customers for 2023 and beyond.

Samuel L. Calonzo, Center Director of the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 13 (ATI-RTC 13), graced the online activity through his opening message. He highlighted the need to come up with programs, projects, and activities for 2023 that should be in line with the commodity roadmap of DA.

Moreover, Nena Lomuntad, Planning Officer II and Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit Section Chief, gave the overview of the meeting, explained the extension road-maps of ATI starting Fiscal year 2022 and beyond, including the forms to be filled-out and submitted, and answered inquiries and made clarifications. (based on the report of Nena Lomuntad)